“The Q&A of Community Cinema DC’s presentation of “American Denial” was one of the rare moments when the entire audience remained in their seats after the film and yielded most of their questions and comments time to the speakers — Dr. Mark Bolden and historian/journalist Todd S. Burroughs, Ph.D. Both speakers gave contrasting yet complimentary analysis of Gunnar Myrdal’s study “American Dilemma,” the film and its potential to move a conversation on race forward. “It’s a step,” said Burroughs. Attendees were interested in Dr. Bolden’s recommended readings about the original “American Dilemma” study: a review written by sociologist E.B. Reuter, and NAACP co-founder, writer, and sociologist W.E.B. DuBois, published in the Clark Atlanta University Phylon Journal in 1944. And a second review and analysis written by sociologist Oliver C. Cox in the Howard University Journal of Negro of Education — “An American Dilemma: A Mystical Approach to the Study of Race Relations” — published in 1945. It’s always good to leave a Community Cinema event hungry for more.”

Moderator: Michon Boston, national coordinator of Independent Lens’ Community Cinema.